Matt Kroschel is a CBS-TV multimedia journalist originally from Colorado now reporting in Huntsville, Alabama for WHNT News 19. We are Taking Action and Getting Results! Send news tips on Twitter @ Matt_Kroschel.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Police have identified four suspects involved in a deadly shooting outside the North Avenue Taco Bell July 16. The same group of suspects are also linked to two armed robberies and a burglary that took place in Grand Junction earlier in the same day.

Lester Miranda-Davis is being held in the Mesa county Jail while another suspect is in a California jail. Two other men are on the run from police tonight.

Lester Miranda-Davis (DOB: 08-26-92) is currently being held in the Mesa County Jail on the charges listed below.

Christian Fuentes (DOB: 06-01-91) is currently in custody in California on unrelated charges. He also has a GJPD warrant for the charges listed below in connection with our investigation.

Warrants have also been issued for two other suspects, Jaime Cardenas (DOB: 08-14-91) and Fidel Silva (DOB: 05-19-87), who are currently at large, however we have reason to believe they have left Colorado.

The courts have sealed the case.

Police say It is important for the community to know that we believe the four incidents that took place last Saturday were all committed by the same group of suspects. Moreover, we currently believe that the suspects are either in custody or currently out of our area. Detectives are working closely with other law enforcement partners to locate the two suspects who are still outstanding.

If anyone has additional information about this incident or the whereabouts of the two suspects still at large they can call the Grand Junction Police Department at 242-6707, call Crime Stoppers at 241-STOP, send the information via the web at www.241stop.com, or text CRIMES to 241STOP and include your tip information.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The day after famous Dog the Bounty Hunter brought in a wanted man and turned him over to the Sherriff's office, Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey turned to his blog to relate his frustration about the entire incident.

Hilkey wrote on his blog, "Drama is easy to create and capture in this business. Fine, do your thing and move on to the next revenue-generating activity. What happened inside the lobby though is what is most troubling to me. While Dog stayed outside, shirtless and sweaty, prancing back and forth waving his golden locks for the camera, his team brought this freshly pepper-sprayed fellow into the enclosed space of the Sheriff’s Office lobby with other citizens present. They also brought him in injured."

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

A driver overshoots an intersection and ends up plowing into a Grand Junction home, narrowly missing a family inside. It all happened Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 on Melody Lane behind the North Avenue Walmart.

Police say they're investigating why SUV's driver was not able to stop when he was leaving the store's parking lot.

A young girl was partially pinned in the house by debris, but a washer and dryer in the front part of the house took the brunt of the impact and stopped the vehicle.

The homeowners were in the process of remodeling their home at the time of the crash.

Police say the driver is looking at reckless driving charges. There is no word on if alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

NewsChannel Five cameras caught up with Dog the Bounty Hunter and his camera crews at the Mesa County Jail today after they delivered a wanted man to authorities. The man was maced during the incident.

I have spoken to a local bailbonds company how have told me they hired Dog to help catch a wanted man, but won't confirm if he is in fact here right now.

A storm slams the Grand Valley, letting loose a lightning strike in an Orchard Mesa Neighborhood.It happened this afternoon around 3-30 in the 27-hundred block of B Road over in Orchard Mesa.
According to witnesses a huge bolt struck a tree knocking out power to a few homes in the area. The house sits one block away from the Mesa County Fairgrounds and with hundreds of people at the event it was a mad dash to find cover from the storm.

Officials at the fairgrounds had to shutdown the fair area for about a half hour as the storm rolled through.
They say the wet weather might actually prove beneficial because it will settle the dust in the area.

I was first on the scene as mother nature unleashed her furry near Carbondale, Colorado
Highways shut down as flash floods hits the Western Slope--and hits it hard. Highway 82 and County Road 100 were both shut down for several hours as severe flooding took over the Carbondale area.

Neighbors say its the most intense storm they've seen in the 30 years they've lived there.

The Rio Grande Trail, which is a popular bike path has boulders and debris covering the trail in some spots.

I went to check out the damage first hand and it is pretty amazing.
Between one and two inches came down in less than two hours, a very quick and powerful hit. There was a wall of mud and debris that came down a county road, covering the road with deep mud.

Highway 182 and County Road 100 are back open.

On my way back from the scene, I had a tire blowout and was stuck in the middle of nowhere on Hwy 82 outside Glennwood Springs. The Colorado State Patrol sent help and I was able to get back on the road again! Thanks @COSP!